BASS Top Tips Part 1:1 Plough to Parallel
Three Instructor Perspectives.
Moving from a plough, or wedge, into parallel turns is one of the most satisfying steps in skiing. It is also one of the moments where advice can sound very different from one instructor to another.
That is not a problem. In fact, it is often useful.
Different ski instructors may use different words, images, drills, or sensations to guide skiers towards the same outcome. One instructor might focus on the feet. Another might focus on rhythm. Another might focus on where the skis point in the turn. All three can be aiming at the same goal: smoother, more balanced parallel skiing.
This is part 1 of a 3-part BASS Top Tips series, featuring three instructors from the British Alpine Ski School in Val d’Isère and Tignes in the French Alps: Joe Cain, Andrew Lockerbie, and Dave Hudson.
The question for this first part is simple:
What is your advice to transition from a wedge or stem to parallel?
Why the move from plough to parallel can feel tricky
The plough is useful because it gives control. It helps manage speed, shape turns, and build confidence. The challenge comes when the same position starts to hold the skier back.
In a plough turn, the skis sit at an angle to each other. In a parallel turn, they work more like a pair. They steer together, edge together, and travel through the turn with less resistance.
The move from one to the other rarely happens all at once. Many skiers pass through a stage where the skis start in a small wedge, then become parallel as the turn develops. Others use a stem, where one ski is pushed out slightly before matching again. Both are common stepping stones.
The aim is not to force the skis together. It is to create the conditions where matching the skis feels natural.
That is where the three BASS instructors bring three useful perspectives.
Joe Cain focuses on the inside ski
Joe Cain’s advice is:
“Gently slide the inside ski to match the outside ski by rolling the inside foot from big toe to little toe.”
This is a very foot-focused tip. It gives the skier something clear and physical to feel.
In a turn, the outside ski usually carries more support. For example, when turning left, the right ski is the outside ski. The inside ski is the one on the inside of the arc, and this is often the ski that lags behind in a wedge or stem.
Joe’s cue asks the skier to guide that inside ski into line. The key word is gently. There is no need to yank the ski across or force it flat. The movement starts in the foot.
Rolling the inside foot from the big-toe side towards the little-toe side helps release the edge that may be holding the ski in a wedge shape. Once that edge softens, the ski can slide more easily to match the outside ski.
This is a good thought for skiers who feel one ski gets stuck. It also helps skiers who concentrate so much on the outside ski that they forget the inside one still needs guiding.
A simple way to try this is on an easy piste, at slow speed, with plenty of space:
Start the turn in a small wedge if needed.
Feel the outside ski support the turn.
Soften the inside foot.
Slide the inside ski towards parallel rather than lifting it.
Let both skis finish the turn together.
The smaller and smoother the movement, the better.
Andrew Lockerbie focuses on rhythm and speed
Andrew Lockerbie’s advice is:
“In an easy slope make rhythmically link turns allowing the speed to increase.”
This sounds different from Joe’s answer, but it points towards the same outcome. Andrew is looking at the flow of the turns.
A skier who is nervous about leaving the plough often holds each turn for too long, brakes hard, then starts again from almost stopped. That stop-start pattern makes parallel skiing harder. The skier has little momentum, the skis feel heavy, and every new turn takes extra effort.
Andrew’s tip asks for linked turns on an easy slope. The easy slope matters. This is not about skiing faster on terrain that feels intimidating. It is about using a gentle gradient where speed can build slightly without causing panic.
Rhythm helps because the skis like to move. When turns connect smoothly, the skier can guide them from one arc into the next. The body becomes less static. The skis are less likely to get trapped in a wide wedge.
Allowing the speed to increase does not mean racing. It means giving the skis enough glide to turn cleanly.
A useful image is cycling. If a bike is nearly stopped, it wobbles. Once it rolls, balance becomes easier. Skis have a similar quality. A little movement helps them behave.
Dave Hudson focuses on time in the fall line
Dave Hudson’s advice is:
“Allow the skis to point into the fall line for a second longer.”
The fall line is the direction a ball would roll down the slope. In a turn, the skis usually pass through this direction before coming back across the hill.
Many skiers who rely on a wedge are understandably keen to turn away from the fall line quickly. Pointing downhill can feel exposed. The instinct is to brake early, twist the skis across the slope, or push into a stronger wedge.
Dave’s tip invites the skier to wait a moment. That extra second lets the skis travel into the turn instead of being rushed away from it.
This can make a big difference. If the skis are allowed to point downhill briefly, they can gather a little speed and line up more naturally. The skier then has a better chance of steering both skis together.
The key is to practise this on terrain that feels safe. On a slope that is too steep, the extra second will feel like too much. On a gentle piste, it can feel like the missing piece.
Try thinking:
Let the skis enter the turn.
Stay balanced over the feet.
Avoid twisting the upper body uphill.
Allow the skis to point downhill briefly.
Guide them back across the slope with control.
This cue is especially helpful for skiers who rush the start of every turn.
Three explanations with one shared goal
Joe, Andrew, and Dave each highlight a different part of the same transition.
Instructor | Main focus | Useful feeling |
Joe Cain | The inside ski | Slide it gently to match |
Andrew Lockerbie | Turn rhythm | Link turns with a little more glide |
Dave Hudson | The fall line | Let the skis point downhill for a moment longer |
None of these tips cancels out the others. They fit together.
Joe’s focus helps with the mechanics of matching the skis. Andrew’s focus helps the skier stop braking between every turn. Dave’s focus helps the skier stay patient as the skis enter the new arc.
For one skier, the inside foot cue might unlock the movement straight away. For another, the change might come from linking turns with more rhythm. Someone else may realise they have been rushing away from the fall line too soon.
That is why good ski teaching often uses more than one explanation. The outcome may be the same, but the route towards it can vary.
A simple practice plan for your next easy run
Choose a gentle piste where speed feels manageable. Start with relaxed plough turns, then try these three ideas one at a time.
On the first few turns, use Joe’s cue. Notice the inside foot. Can it roll and slide the ski towards the outside ski?
On the next few turns, use Andrew’s cue. Link the turns smoothly. Let the skis keep moving rather than stopping after each turn.
Then use Dave’s cue. Allow the skis to face down the slope for a second longer before guiding them across.
Keep the terrain easy. Keep the movements gentle. If the wedge comes back, reduce the speed and start again. That is part of the process.
The move from plough to parallel is not about one magic drill. It is a blend of balance, timing, confidence, and feel. These three tips from the British Alpine Ski School in Val d’Isère and Tignes give three clear ways to work on it.
Pick the cue that makes the most sense on your next run, then give it time. Parallel skiing usually appears first in small moments. Build on those moments, and the plough will gradually become something you use by choice, not because you need it.
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